Improvement in lamp-wicks



W. A. GEN'SCH.

Lamp Wick. No. 81,359. Patented Aug.4 .25, 1868. r

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VW'ILIEIELM AUGUST GENSCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMP-WICKS.

Specication formingpart of Letters Patent No. 81,359, dated August 25, 1868.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM AUGUST GENSGH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lamp-Wick; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact de! scription thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which the drawing represents a side View of my improved lamp-wick.

This invention relates to a new lamp-wick which is composed of animal and vegetable ber, felted together so as to be more eective and useful than those now generally made, and steeped in a composition composed of the ingredients hereinafter enumerated, whereby aclearer light is produced than by ordinary lamp-wicks.

Vicks are now generally made of vegetable ber woven together. Such wicks will, when ignited, be expanded.

In my wicks the animal ber will, on the burning edge, be at once burned so as to form a crust on the upper end of the Wick. This crust causes the contraction of the burning part ofthe Wick, whereby the unsteadiness of the ame is prevented, and whereby the oil is allowed to burn quietly on the said crust. The crust is porous enough to let the oil wick end contracted.

The wick is composed, as aforesaid, of animal and vegetable ber, such as hares hair or lambs wool, and cotton, or any other suitable composition of sucl aforesaid ber. These bers are felted together in the well-known or in any suitable manner.

I prefer to treat them, before felting, with a solution of mercury, arsenic, copper, and nitric acid, but do not conne myself to this mixture.

The felted material, which is madeup in large sheets, or in already-formed wicks, as may be desired, is or may then be steeped in a mixture of zinc, saltpeter, and aniline, dissolved in sulphuric acid. The aniline is only for giving the color, and may be omitted.

I have found that by this composition a brighter and more beautiful ame is produced.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The lamp-wick composed of animal and vegetable ber, and steeped in the composition composed of the ingredients herein set forth, in the manner and for the purpose specied.

W. A. GENSCH. Witnesses: A. v. BRrEsEN,

ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

